<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>my love, my darling by JustaHogwartsGirl</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236317">my love, my darling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustaHogwartsGirl/pseuds/JustaHogwartsGirl'>JustaHogwartsGirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue Series - Mackenzi Lee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Boys Kissing, Conversations, Deaf Character, Deaf Monty, Epileptic Percy Newton, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Just a little angst, Kinda, Kissing, M/M, Sign Language, You’ll see, basically no plot, but Monty is living at home, for some reason they’re already together, just ignore it, they talk about having kids</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:55:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,128</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustaHogwartsGirl/pseuds/JustaHogwartsGirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a rambling conversation between Monty and Percy that includes sign language, epilepsy, and kids. There is zero overall plot, but there are feels and kisses. Enjoy!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Henry "Monty" Montague/Percy Newton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>my love, my darling</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Percy has a shit-eating grin on his face, and I'm terrified. </p>
<p>Really, I think I'm obliged to clarify. When I say shit-eating, I mean that Percy's grin is far wider than it has any business being and proud as anything. It's nothing like the sweet smiles that he gives me when he thinks I don't notice. It's not even like the fondly exasperated grins that I get for being particularly dense. There's a twinkle in Percy's eye as he beams at me now that makes him look disarmingly roguish, and I'm immediately nervous. </p>
<p>Felicity looks up from her book and scowls at Percy. "Stop that," she orders sternly. "You look perfectly ridiculous." </p>
<p>His smile only grows. "Guess what, Monty?" </p>
<p>"Do I want to know?" </p>
<p>"But of course." Percy sits on my bed in front of me. </p>
<p>Felicity arches an eyebrow. "You can just ask me to leave, Percy," she says primly. </p>
<p>Though anything exciting enough to make Felicity leave the room is good enough for me, the smug look on Percy's face still worries me. </p>
<p>"What have you there, darling?" I ask. </p>
<p>Percy pecks my cheek. "First, a kiss." </p>
<p>"That wasn't a kiss, you bloody idiot." </p>
<p>About ten minutes after I grab his lapels and kiss him properly, both of us are short a few layers. Finally, Percy plants his hands on my bare chest and pushes me away. It's hard to take it personally, though, because he keeps rubbing his fingers over my skin like he can't help himself. </p>
<p>"Something wrong, darling?" I ask, embarrassingly breathless. Kissing Percy will do that to a man. I lean back onto the pillows, trying to collect myself. </p>
<p>"Nothing at all, my love," Percy answers, brushing a piece of hair away from my face. And Lord, I could watch to Percy's mouth curl around the word love every day for the rest of my life. His fingers are cool against my flushed skin, and my eyes flutter closed. </p>
<p>"Hey, Monty." Percy's mouth is right next to my good ear. "I have something to show you, but you'll have to open those gorgeous eyes of yours." </p>
<p>"Flattery, darling? I thought you were above such measures." </p>
<p>"Simply the truth." </p>
<p>I open my eyes so that I can roll them at Percy. He has that shit-eating grin on his face again. </p>
<p>"What are you planning?" </p>
<p>Percy leans off the bed and picks up a book from the floor. "Look." </p>
<p>"Percy! I thought you were better than that." </p>
<p>"Better than reading books?" </p>
<p>"Better than making me read books." </p>
<p>Percy taps the cover. "It's by Pierre Desloges." </p>
<p>"It's French? Please, Perce, I'm begging you." </p>
<p>He ignores me and opens the book. "Have you heard of sign language?"</p>
<p>"I can barely hear anything," I tease, even though Percy's brow sometimes creases when I make jokes about my ear. </p>
<p>It doesn't this time, though. Instead, he grins at me. "That's what sign language is for. You use your hands to talk." </p>
<p>"I can talk fine, Percy." </p>
<p>"I know, but you can't hear me when I talk. If we both learn, then I can talk to you across the room." </p>
<p>My heart gives a leap at that idea. I can only hear Percy well when he's next to me, on my good side. Though I've improved my lip reading, I can't do it at any kind of distance. It's been trying, to say the least. </p>
<p>"Give me the book," I mutter, dragging it from his lap into mine. </p>
<p>Percy beams and moves to settle next to me. We read and try to replicate the hand shapes in the book, giggling at the unfamiliar configurations. </p>
<p>"This isn't going to work," I huff after an hour. We can stumble our way through the alphabet now, but not much else. </p>
<p>"You're right." Percy yawns and stretches. He's still shirtless, and I must admit that the motion distracts me more than it should. "I just wish we could do something." </p>
<p>It's been difficult for him, too. Percy's the one who holds me when I wake up panicked because the world is too quiet. He catches me when I turn the corner too fast and everything tips sideways. He even knitted me a hat that I jam on my head to cover the mangled spot on the side of my head that still hurts my pride. </p>
<p>"Hey, we can figure something out, darling," I tell him. I shut the book and set it back on the floor. "We don't need the alphabet, do we?" </p>
<p>"How do you mean?" </p>
<p>"When was the last time you tried to recite the alphabet to me, and I couldn't hear?" </p>
<p>Percy thinks about it. "Never, I suppose." </p>
<p>"Right. So what do we say a lot? Or, what's something important that you say that I can't hear?" </p>
<p>"I love you." </p>
<p>"I love you, too, Percy," I tell him, kissing his cheek. </p>
<p>"That's something important I say that you can't hear," Percy clarifies softly. He's watching me carefully, looking for my reaction, and his tenderness is almost too much now. </p>
<p>"Oh." I feel an overwhelming sadness bubbling in my chest, along with a red-hot core of anger. I love Percy in every way possible, and I love hearing him say the same to me. My heart aches for every time I missed it. </p>
<p>"You'll be alright, my love." Percy rubs my back softly. "We'll get there." </p>
<p>If I rest my head on his shoulder, I'll block my good ear, but I desperately want to get closer to him. I settle for clambering onto his lap, which makes him laugh a little. I feel the laugh in his chest as I settle against him, and I revel in the way his arms immediately wrap around me. </p>
<p>"Hallo, there," Percy says fondly. </p>
<p>"How many times have I missed you saying that you love me?" I ask. </p>
<p>Percy rubs his hands up and down my sides. "Monty..." </p>
<p>I twist around in his lap to look at him. "How many?" </p>
<p>He buries his face in my shoulder for a moment, then meets my eyes again. "Twice a day. You don't usually hear me when I'm leaving or coming home." He must see my face fall, because he hurries to soothe the hurt. "Sometimes you catch one of them, though." </p>
<p>"God, Percy." I rest against his chest again. </p>
<p>He drops feather light kisses into my hair. "I love you," he tells me, just loud enough to hear. "I love you, I love you, I love you, Monty. I'm so deeply in love with you." </p>
<p>Some eternity later, I have tears pouring down my cheeks and Percy's turning me around in his lap. I don't usually like being touched when I'm in a state like this, much less moved, but it's different with Percy. When he guides my head to his chest, I inhale his scent and rest my damp cheek against his skin. I'm not crying anymore, but I feel hot tears in my hair, where Percy's face is resting. </p>
<p>We're two disasters, and I love that about us. I rub Percy's shoulders soothingly. Eventually, I get him to relax enough to lie down. </p>
<p>"It's going to be all good someday," I whisper to Percy. </p>
<p>"I'm a mess," he groans, rubbing at his eyes. </p>
<p>"Quite." I kiss the tip of his nose. "As am I. But you're magnificent, darling." </p>
<p>Percy kisses me deeply, which proves to be a delightful distraction. He makes a soft little noise when I pull away that almost makes me regret my decision to talk instead of kiss the man I love. </p>
<p>"Sign language," I tell Percy. </p>
<p>"Right." He hooks a leg over my hip, long-limbed sprawler that he is. I'm about to tell him off for making it unnecessarily difficult to concentrate, but then he presses his hand to my chest. His fingers are curled loosely, and he taps my chest twice. </p>
<p>"What was that?" </p>
<p>"I love you." </p>
<p>He does it again, this time tapping his own chest. </p>
<p>"Percy, you clever, clever man," I beam. </p>
<p>"What?" </p>
<p>"It's your violin hand," I explain, matching my fingers to his. I try to move my fingers for the only chord Percy managed to teach me, but fail miserably. "That's how you taught me to hold it." </p>
<p>Percy winced at the memory. "That didn't work so well." </p>
<p>"Of course it didn't. I was tone deaf before I lost my ear." I tap I love you on my chest. "But I had fun." </p>
<p>"Fun making my ears bleed?" </p>
<p>I demonstrate my knowledge sign language by showing Percy a rather ungentlemanly hand gesture. He swats my hand away. "What next?" he asks. </p>
<p>"Something for when you're feeling unwell," I decide. "When you're slurring, it's harder to hear, and lip reading doesn't work at all. I can't tell whether you're drunk or tired or ill." </p>
<p>Percy hums thoughtfully. He touches his finger to his lips. "Drunk."</p>
<p>"Won't work." </p>
<p>"Why?" Percy asks, sounding rather put out. </p>
<p>I touch Percy's lips myself, feeling him smile under my finger. "Because if I'm drunk and see you do that, I may get us hanged." </p>
<p>Percy's face darkens a little as he takes my hand from his lips and kisses my palm. The light tone of my voice does nothing to cover the truth of my words. We've become so comfortable here, in our home, that we sometimes forget that we don't have the same comforts outside these walls. Percy's tongue often trips over my love in public, and I try to reach for his hand in crowds before catching myself. Even a blush at Percy's finger on his lips would be risky for us. </p>
<p>Percy shakes his head. "You're right. No need to go courting trouble." </p>
<p>"Flirting with it, at most," I reply, moving my hand to his smooth, freckled shoulders. </p>
<p>Percy laughs softly. "How's this?" He leans away from me enough make a motion like he's flicking water off his fingers. "Too alluring?" </p>
<p>"Hush, you." I copy the motion. "Good enough." </p>
<p>"Excellent. We should practice. Shall I fetch the glasses?" </p>
<p>"Oh, is my bad behavior finally rubbing off on you, dear?" </p>
<p>Percy kisses my forehead. "Don't get carried away there." </p>
<p>It takes me a moment to realize that he's been tapping I love you against my hip, fingers curled loosely. </p>
<p>"Does it mean something different there?" I ask after drawing him into a kiss.  </p>
<p>Percy's hand stills on my hip. "Cheeky." </p>
<p>"You didn't answer my question." </p>
<p>He hums. "Didn't I?" </p>
<p>"Calm yourself," I tell him, "or Felicity can no longer claim that you're a good influence." </p>
<p>"So?" </p>
<p>I shove at him lightly and sit up. "What about one for when you're feeling ill?" </p>
<p>Percy glares a little. "Your clue will be when I swoon," he says flatly. </p>
<p>"Percy, darling." </p>
<p>He sighs and shuts his eyes. "If you're not within yelling distance, you won't be within signing distance." </p>
<p>It makes my heart twist in an uncomfortable sort of way to think that Percy may have another fit without me. It hasn't happened since we ran away together, but it'll surely happen sometime. </p>
<p>"Please, Percy," I beg. I am not beneath begging from the most wonderful man in the world. "It would make me feel so much better." </p>
<p>He looks upset when he finally opens his eyes, and I almost feel guilty. "Will you stop worrying about me?" </p>
<p>"No. Because I love you." I punctuate my words with my hand against his chest. "I'll worry less, though." </p>
<p>He holds out a fist and makes a motion like he's knocking on a door. </p>
<p>"It needs to be more obvious," I tell him. </p>
<p>"Obvious? What if we're in public, Monty?" </p>
<p>"Then it's important for me to help you out of there. God, Percy, I just want you to be safe." </p>
<p>He sighs. "Yes, fine, I understand that." </p>
<p>"Good. It needs to be obvious, but you also need to be able to do it even if you're unwell. You know, physically." </p>
<p>Percy shoots me a dirty look but doesn't argue. He knows I'm not calling him weak. It's still hard for him to trust me, I think, even though he would deny it if I asked. Epilepsy must be frightening on its own, and having loads of doctors call you possessed can't help.  </p>
<p>"I love you, darling," I remind him. </p>
<p>Percy smiles a little, and my heart pounds like I've just been sprinting, and everything is normal again. </p>
<p>"I put my hands on my head, because it hurts," Percy muses. He presses the heels of his hands into his temples. "What if I were to do a little jig with my lower half?" He swings his legs off the bed and kicks them around in a poor imitation of dancing. </p>
<p>"What if you didn't?" I suggest. </p>
<p>Percy goes to swat at me, but gets distracted somewhere in the process. Instead, his hand ends up on my hip and his lips land on mine. </p>
<p>"Does this mean lessons are over?" I ask against Percy's mouth. </p>
<p>He runs his fingers through my hair. "If you let me jig." </p>
<p>"Jig, you say?" I quirk up an eyebrow even though Percy can't see it in his position. </p>
<p>He leans back and laughs, which makes me feel outrageously satisfied. "God, why'd you have to say it like that?" </p>
<p>"Not God. Just me." I plant a loud, smacking kiss on Percy's cheek. "It's a common mistake, darling." </p>
<p>Percy rolls his eyes and gives me the fondest smile. "We can continue our lessons tomorrow?" </p>
<p>"Are you leaving already?" </p>
<p>"I don't have to." </p>
<p>"Stay." </p>
<p>"I was planning on it." </p>
<p>"Stay the night." </p>
<p>Percy pauses. "Your father." </p>
<p>"You used to sleep over all the time, Perce. It'd be weird if you didn't." </p>
<p>But because Percy still looks a little worried, I flash my dimples at him and find his undershirt on the floor. "My father is not part of this relationship," I tell him. "You can leave if you want to, but I want you to stay." </p>
<p>Percy takes his undershirt and and puts it on before rejoining me in bed. When I toy at the lace around the collar and give him a curious look, he shrugs sheepishly. "I don't want Felicity to come in and see me undressed," he admits. </p>
<p>"It's my bedroom," I protest. "If she storms in announced while you're visiting, she must-"</p>
<p>"Still," Percy interrupts defensively, "it's Felicity." </p>
<p>I laugh and kiss him quickly. "How many of the Montagues do you think you're responsible for?" </p>
<p>"She's a lady."</p>
<p>"Truly? I must have missed that." </p>
<p>Percy grins and taps I love you on his chest. He's a little too beautiful, but I've been told that I have the same problem. Shame that we're both lads, or we could make some gorgeous progeny. </p>
<p>The thought (which I have from time to time) delights me to no end. Our children would inherit Percy's sensitivity and his freckles, my dimples and charm. Perhaps if Felicity spent enough time with them, the creatures could also have brains much too large for their own good. </p>
<p>"What're you smiling on about?" Percy asks. </p>
<p>"If we had babies, think about how pretty they'd be." </p>
<p>Percy frowns. "You know we can't, right?" </p>
<p>"Yes, I know. My father may have been absent, but I've certainly received my education." </p>
<p>Percy scoffs in a way that is both exasperated and fond, then starts trailing kisses down my neck. I push him away and prop myself up on my elbow. </p>
<p>"With Felicity as aunt, they would be geniuses." </p>
<p>"Our children?" </p>
<p>"Our children." I flop back onto the bed. "I'd be bad at it, I'd imagine. Being a father." </p>
<p>"Because of..."</p>
<p>"Yeah." </p>
<p>Percy hums thoughtfully. "I don't believe I'd be very good either." </p>
<p>"You're good at everything," I retort readily. </p>
<p>Percy shrugs. "I don't have a father either. And the epilepsy... if it's frightening for you, it would be even more so for a child." Percy pauses for a moment, weighing his next words. "You know, my aunt used to say that it was a curse. For being the way I am." </p>
<p>"For kissing lads or for your complexion?" </p>
<p>Percy laughed dryly. "I'm a brown-skinned bastard living in sin with another man. I think there's plenty to be cursed for." </p>
<p>"I don't think that."</p>
<p>Percy snorted. </p>
<p>"No, I mean it. You being a brown-skinned bastard is hardly your fault. In fact, I think you should be cross at God for making your life so bloody difficult. We can write a letter." </p>
<p>Percy rolled his eyes a little. "Yes, I believe I recall that from chapel." </p>
<p>"You went?" </p>
<p>"On occasion."</p>
<p>"My word. And you think you know a lad."</p>
<p>Percy kisses me sweetly and leans in to whisper in my ear. "You do. Biblically." </p>
<p>I choke a little at that. There’s no praying that Percy didn’t see my face turn red, judging by his laugh. And people think he’s the innocent one. </p>
<p>When I recover from shock, I kiss the corner of Percy's mouth, making his lips curl up in a smile. "It's good, then, that we're both lads. No frightened children." </p>
<p>Percy's fingers find their way into my hair. "I suppose." </p>
<p>"You suppose?" </p>
<p>"I don't want anyone other than you, Monty, you know that." Percy runs his fingers through my hair for a moment as he thinks. "But wouldn't it be lovely if we were man and wife? We could get a big house and go to parties together. All those delightful things you're so fond of." </p>
<p>"I know, darling. But I love you more than any of that." </p>
<p>Percy looks relieved, and I feel guilty that he would ever doubt my love for him. "As do I, my love." </p>
<p>Figuring the conversation is pretty much over, I let Percy pull me into a kiss. His hands are tangled in my hair; my hands are roaming beneath his undershirt. His skin is comfortingly cool, and it helps to ground me as he rolls on top of me. </p>
<p>"Percy," I say breathlessly. When he doesn't answer except to kiss along my collarbone, I try again. "Percy, darling."</p>
<p>"Mhm?"</p>
<p>"The door."  </p>
<p>Percy sits up, giving us both enough room to think. Unfortunately, he's still straddling my waist, so thinking is hard. (Other things are also hard, but I'm trying not to think about that.) </p>
<p>"What about the door?" Percy asks. </p>
<p>"Lock it, if you'd be so kind." </p>
<p>Percy gets up to lock the door and shucks off his clothes on the way back to bed. Before clambering on next to me, he taps his chest with a lightly curled hand. </p>
<p>I do the same, even as I complain, "you're a sap." </p>
<p>Percy rolls his eyes as he clambers onto the bed. "You're much worse." </p>
<p>"Am not." </p>
<p>"Are too." He leans down to kiss me, then adds in a whisper, "I love it."</p>
<p>“And I love you.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>